Compound Word Games for Second Grade

Compound words are two or more words joined together in order to create a deeper meaning. They can be used as different parts of speech in a sentence and function in different ways depending on the meaning conveyed.

Compound words are generally classified by their form: open, closed, and hyphenated. Open compounds are two separate words that create a new meaning, like hot dog or cell phone. Closed compounds occur when two words join to create one word with a new meaning, like bookstore or doghouse. Hyphenated compounds are two words joined with a hyphen, usually an adjective, like open-minded or sister-in-law.

TurtleDiary.com offers creative online games with compound words to help students to increase their cognitive abilities in language learning. Beginning at the kindergarten level and moving up, our compound word online games offer a variety of fun learning experiences and help students increase their knowledge one step at a time.

The best games allow students to practice all three forms of compound words: open, closed, and hyphenated. Being able to delete a portion of the compound is also an important skill, as is understanding the separate meaning of the words and the combined new meaning when they are used in tandem. Hyphenated words are often adjectives, so learning how they function as a part of speech aids their language ability as well.